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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. B. G. BEMIS & O. D. CUMMINGS.

LADDER.

No. 452,826. Patented May 26, 1891.

lgaexfirs Bertie G/Bemzls 022907717. Oamrr (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

B. G. BEMIS & 0. D. CUMMINGS. LADDER.

No. 452,826. Patented May 26, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERTIE G. BEMIS AND ORSON l). CUMMINGS, OF OI-IARLESTOWN, NElVHAMPSHIRE.

LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,826, dated May 26,1891.

Application filed December 17,1890. Serial No. 375,034. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, BERTIE G. BEMIS and ORSON D. CUMMINGS, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Charlestown,in the county of Sullivan andState of New Hampshire, have invented a new and useful Ladder, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to ladders, and more especially of that classwhich are adapted to be folded for storage; and the object of the sameis to produce an improved ladder of this same general construction.

To this end the invention consists of the details of constructionhereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as illustrated in thedrawings, wherein- Figurel is a front elevation of a single ladderopen.Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the ladder closed. Fig. 3 is an upperend view of Fig. 1. Fig. +1 is an enlarged side elevation of the lockingdevices. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of an extension-ladder extended andopened. Fig. 6 is a similar elevation showing the latter telescoped andclosed. Fig. 7 is an upper end view of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is an elevation ofthe upper end of a step-ladder, showing a wheel secured thereto forrunning on a track. Fig. 9 is a perspective detail of the upper end of afolding stepladder.

Referring to the said drawings, the letter S designates the side bars ofa ladder. In Fig. 3 these side bars are shown as consisting of a flatfront member and another member secured thereto at right angles, wherebythe section of each side bar is of T shape.

The letters 0 designate metallic cleats, whose ends E are pierced, andthrough them pass bolts 13, which also pass through the two members ofthe side bars, whereby the cleats are pivotally connected thereto andare capable of being turned around the bolts. The heads of the cleatsmay have openingsof any shape-t0 receive the ends of the rungs R, whichare firmly held therein. One or more of the cleats are provided witharms A, having holes H, and plates P, provided with similar holes, aresecured to one of the side pieces S. \Vhen the ladder is open, as shownin Fig. 1, these holes register with each other, and a hook K, which islinked to the side piece, is seated in each pair of holes to hold theladder in this position. To close the ladder, the hooks are removed andone side piece moved relatively to the other, as shown in Fig.

This improved ladder may be made 'extensible by providing upper andlower side piecesUand L, respectively. Fig. 7 shows that the lower sidepiece is of T shape, but standing transversely to the ladder and thefront web of the T extended forward a considerable distance, whereas theupper section is of U shape, embracing the shank of the'T, but with itsrear member slightly shorter than its front member. Guides G areconnected to the lower member and extend in rear of the upper member,their hooked ends serving to keep said member in position. To the frontface of the upper member are pivoted cleats (3, which receive rungs R,and the sections are permitted to be folded or opened and looked, all inthe manner above described. In this case, however, the rungs of theuppersection are in a vertical plane in rear of those of the lower section,as best seen in Fig. 7 whereby the two sections are allowed to telescopewith out the rungs interfering. A hoisting rope or chain N is connectedat n to the upper end of the left side piece of the lower section,passes thence down in rear of the shank of the T in the opening formedby the short rear member of the U-shaped section, over a pulley 1 at thelower end of the left side piece of the upper section, across and over apulley 2 at the other side, thence upwardlyin the corresponding openingat the other side of the ladder, over a pulley 3 in the upper end'of theright-hand side piece of the lower section, down the right-hand side ofsaid sectiomand is connected to a cleat & at the base of the lowersection. By drawing upon this rope the upper section will be raisedwhether the two sections are closed or open. The same means as abovedescribed are preferably used for holding the ladder open. I

In Fig. 8 is shown a track T such as is sometimes used in hardware orother stores, upon which track travels a grooved wheel N, and said.wheel is journaled in an iron frame 1, whose ends are pivotallyconnected to the side pieces S of the simple ladder above described, orwhich may be connected to an extension-ladder, if desired In Fig. 9 aninclined brace Q is shown, connected by hinges J with the upper end ofeach side bar S of the simple ladder, and these braces are connected atone or more points by metallic straps M, whose ends are pivoted to thebraces, as shown. NVhen the ladder is closed, as shown in dotted lines,the inclined braces will close also, the straps M permitting thismovement.

Ladders constructed in accordance with the above description willpossess great strength with little liability to warp or to bend onaccount of the shape of their side pieces. They may be closed, so as tooccupy but little space, or opened and locked securely in this position,so as to be used the same as an ordinary ladder. These functions arealso embodied in the extension-ladder above described,- which ladderalso possesses a further advantage in the specific arrangement of thehoisting-rope, because said rope works be tween the sections in anopening and is thereby not ehafed or worn, and also because said ropewill operate the sections whether they are open or closed. The wheel Wof Fig. 8 is for an obvious and well-known purpose, and yet the iron I,to which said wheel is journaled, is pivotally mounted at its ends inthe side pieces of the ladder, so that the latter can be folded afterthe wheel is lifted off the track. The step-ladder shown in Fig. 9 canalso be folded, as seen in dotted lines, the inclined rear brace in nowise preventing.

What is claimed as new is- 1. In a ladder, the combination, with each ofthe sides of two or more pieces, bolts therethrough, rungs, cleatssecured on the ends of said rungs, and extensions of said cleatspivotally mounted on said bolts, of means for holding the ladder in opencondition, substantially as described.

2. In a ladder, the combination, with the side pieces, boltstherethrough, rungs, cleats secured on the ends of said rungs, andextensions of said cleats pivotally mounted on said bolts, of aperforated arm on one of said cleats, a perforated plate secured to theside piece, and a hook adapted to enter the perforations when the ladderis open, substantially as described.

3. In an improved folding ladder, the combination, with the side pieces,bolts therethrough, rungs, cleats secured on the ends of said rungs, andextensions of said cleats pivotally mounted on said bolts, of aninclined brace hinged to the upper end of each side piece, metallicstraps pivoted at their ends to said braces, and means for holding theladder in open condition, substantially as described.

4. In a ladder, the combination, with the side pieces, boltstherethrough, rungs, cleats secured on the ends of said rungs, andextensions of said cleats pivotally mounted on said bolts, of an iron I,pivotally connected at its ends with the side pieces, a wheel journaledin said iron, and means for holding the ladder in open condition,substantially as described.

5. In a ladder, the combination, with an upper and a lower sectiontelescoping into each other, of rungs, cleats secured on the endsthereof, extensions of said cleats pivoted to the side pieces of theladders, and means for holding said ladders in open condition,substantially as described.

6. In an extension-ladder, the combination, with a lower section havingT-shaped side bars and an upper section having U-shaped side barssliding on the shanks of the Ts, one edge of each upper side bar beingcut away and leaving a vertical opening, of a rope or chain connected tothe upper end of one side piece of the lower section, passing downwardlyin one ,of said openings, over a pulley in the lower end of one sidepiece of the upper section, across and over a similar pulley in theother side piece, upwardly in the other of said openings, over a similarpulley in the upper end of the other side piece of the lower section,and down to a cleat within reach of the operator, as set forth.

7. In a ladder, the combination, with a lower section whose side piecesare of approximately T-shaped cross-section, with their shanks inalignment and extending inwardly, an upper section whose side pieces areof approximately U -shaped cross-section, opening outwardly andembracing said shanks, and

guides connected to one section and loosely embracing the other, ofrungs secured to the front face of the upper section and to the frontedges of the side pieces of the lower section and extending across thoseon the upper section, substantially as described.

8. In a ladder, the combination, With a lower section whose side piecesare of approximatelyT-shapedcross-section,withtheir shanks in alignmentand extending inwardly, an upper section whose side pieces are ofapproximately U-shaped cross-section, opening outwardly and embracingsaid shanks, and guides connected to one section and loosely embracingthe other, of rungs pivotally connected to the front faces of the uppersection and to the front edges of the side pieces of the lower sectionand extending across those on the upper section, and means for movingsaid ladders longitudinally and said side pieces transversely,substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing. as our own we have heretoaffixed oursignatures in presence of two witnesses.

BERTIE G. BEMIS. ORSON D. CUMMINGS. Witnesses:

EDWARD CooLY, HERBERT W. BOND.

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